Nearly a quarter of independent agencies would like carriers to address smart homes in the next two years. But risk management offerings like leak sensors and insurance solutions for internet-enabled home devices still have a long way to go.

Growing from approximately 30 people to 315 in three decades is impressive—but doing it all without a single merger or acquisition is almost unheard of. Relying on purely organic growth is something Scott Insurance employees feel has been instrumental in maintaining the agency’s ESOP-based culture.

Before transitioning to a career as a trucking and transportation insurance specialist, Tracy Lange spent nearly three decades in the health care field. “You think everything’s going to translate from helping people who can’t breathe,” he says. “But it turns out insurance is not quite so straightforward.”